Apparatus for attaching a protective barrier to a surface and a method for its use

ABSTRACT

An apparatus and method for attaching a protective barrier to a surface, such as a wall, ceiling or floor. The protective barrier can be plastic sheeting or any other suitable, material, which is impermeable by water, dust, debris and related contaminants. The apparatus and method for its installation and use being capable of connecting the protective barrier to a surface so that no dust, debris or other contaminants can pass between the protective barrier and the surface to which it is being attached.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

The present application claims benefit to U.S. Provisional Application No. 61/760,049 filed Feb. 2, 2013, which is herein incorporated by reference in its entirety.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present apparatus and method for its use relates to the attachment of protective barriers, such as sheets of polyethylene or similar materials, to surfaces such as walls, ceilings and floors. Protective barriers such as these are typically installed beneath ceilings during construction work being performed on ceilings or roofs of buildings, but they can also be used to form protective walls or any other similar protective structures.

BACKGROUND

Protective barriers are often attached directly to walls and ceilings using common attachment devices, such as staples, screws or nails. However, attaching protective barriers in such a fashion often results in gaps and openings between the attachment devices, which can allow dust and other debris to escape past the protective barrier. Furthermore, staples, screws and nails can cause rips in the protective barrier or can allow the protective barrier to become disconnected from the attachment surface by pulling free from the screws or nails.

Protective barriers are used to prevent dust, debris and contaminants from moving from one side of a protective barrier to the other. However, where the edges of the protective barriers do not form a seal with the attachment surfaces, these contaminants can escape around the edges of such protective barriers thus reducing their effectiveness.

What is needed is an apparatus and method for attaching a protective barrier to a an attachment surface, which can form a tight seal between the protective barrier and the attachment surface and which can prevent dust, debris and other contaminants from passing between the edge of the protective barrier and the wall or other attachment surface.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is an aspect of the present device to provide an apparatus for attaching a protective barrier to a surface, which can prevent dust, debris and other contaminants from passing between the protective barrier and the surface to which it is being attached.

The above aspect can be obtained by an apparatus for connecting a protective barrier to an attachment surface, comprising: a protective barrier having at least one edge; an attachment bar; a sealing layer; and an attachment device.

The above aspect can also be obtained by an apparatus for connecting a protective barrier to an attachment surface, comprising: a protective barrier having at least one edge; a narrow strip of protective barrier having at least one edge; an attachment bar; a sealing layer; and an attachment device.

The above aspect can also be obtained by a method for connecting a protective barrier to an attachment surface, the method comprising: providing a protective barrier having at least one edge, an attachment bar comprising at least one hole, a sealing layer comprising at least one hole, and an attachment device; providing an attachment surface; and placing the edge of the protective barrier against an attachment surface; placing the sealing layer in connection with the edge of the protective barrier; placing the attachment bar in connection with the sealing layer wherein at least one hole comprising the attachment bar is aligned with at least one hole comprising the sealing layer; and placing an attachment device through both holes and the protective barrier and securely connecting the attachment device to the attachment surface.

These together with other aspects and advantages which will be subsequently apparent, reside in the details of construction and operation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawings forming a part thereof, wherein like numerals refer to like parts throughout.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Further features and advantages of the present device, as well as the structure and operation of various embodiments of the present device, will become apparent and more readily appreciated from the following description of the preferred embodiments, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings of which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a protective barrier according to an embodiment;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of an attachment bar according to an embodiment;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a sealing layer, according to an embodiment;

FIG. 4 is a cut-away side view of a protective barrier attached to an attachment surface by an attachment bar, a sealing layer and an attachment device according to an embodiment; and

FIG. 5 is a perspective front view of a protective barrier attached to an attachment surface by an attachment bar, a sealing layer and attachment devices according to an embodiment.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

This description of the exemplary embodiments is intended to be read in connection with the accompanying drawings, which are to be considered part of the entire written description. In the description, relative terms such as “lower,” “upper,” “horizontal,” “vertical,”, “above,” “below,” “up,” “down,” “top” and “bottom” as well as derivative thereof (e.g., “horizontally,” “downwardly,” “upwardly,” etc.) should be construed to refer to the orientation as then described or as shown in the drawing under discussion. These relative terms are for convenience of description and do not require that the apparatus be constructed or operated in a particular orientation. Terms concerning attachments, coupling and the like, such as “connected” and “interconnected,” refer to a relationship wherein structures are secured or attached to one another either directly or indirectly through intervening structures, as well as both movable or rigid attachments or relationships, unless expressly described otherwise.

Reference will now be made in detail to the presently preferred embodiments of the invention, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein like reference numerals refer to like elements throughout.

Protective barriers can be used to cover very large areas in buildings such as factories and warehouses. It is important that a system for installing such barriers can allow for easy installation of the barrier while ensuring that a proper seal around the barrier is maintained. This is particularly true when the barrier is used to protect food processing equipment, electronics equipment, or any other equipment that could be damaged or ruined by dust, moisture, or other airborne contaminants.

The present device can be used to quickly attach protective barriers in manageable sections. Furthermore, the present device can create a seal between the protective barrier and the surface, typically a wall, ceiling, or floor to which the protective barrier is being attached. In an embodiment, the present device can provide a rigid attachment bar with holes to receive screws or other similar fasteners and a gasket for creating a seal between the attachment barrier and the floor, wall, ceiling or other surface to which the barrier is being attached.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a protective barrier 100 according to an embodiment.

In an embodiment, a protective barrier 100 can be comprised entirely of a polymer, which can prevent dust and debris from reaching a protected area. The protective barrier 100 can be comprised of a polyethylene, vinyl, nylon, canvas or any other material suitable for creating a protective barrier that is known to one of ordinary skill in the art, which is capable of preventing the permeation of dust, moisture or other airborne contaminants.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of an attachment bar 200, according to an embodiment.

The attachment bar 200 can be an elongated piece of metal, plastic or other suitable material. In a preferred embodiment, the attachment bar 200 can comprise a first flat section 201 and a second flat section 202. This first flat section 201 can be connected along its length to the length of the second flat section 202 at a ninety-degree angle. In one preferred embodiment, holes 203 can be located along the length of the first flat section 201.

In an alternative embodiment, the attachment bar 200 can be formed by bending one elongated piece of metal at midpoint located along its length until it forms a ninety-degree angle or similar angle.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a sealing layer 300, according to an embodiment.

In an embodiment, this sealing layer 300 can be roughly the size and shape as the first flat section 201 of the attachment bar 200 shown in FIG. 2. In an embodiment, the sealing layer 300 can be made from a dense foam, such as polyurethane foam, but it could also be comprised of a rubber or one or more other flexible and compressible materials capable of forming a seal when pressed between two hard surfaces. In an embodiment, the sealing layer can comprise holes 303 located along its length, which are spaced to correlate with holes 203 located along the length of the first flat side 201 of the attachment bar 200. These holes can align when the first flat side 201 of the attachment bar 200 and the sealing layer 300 are placed next to each other as they would be when installed.

FIG. 4 is a cut-away side view of a protective barrier 100 attached to an attachment surface 400 by an assembly comprising an attachment bar 200, a sealing layer 300 and an attachment device 401 according to an embodiment.

The protective barrier 100 can be securely attached to a wall 400 by bending an edge 402 of the protective barrier so that it is parallel to the attachment surface 400 and perpendicular to the remaining section of the protective barrier 100. A sealing layer 300 can then be placed along the edge 402 of the protective barrier 100 so that one edge of the sealing layer 300 is in contact with the edge 402 of the protective barrier 100. The first flat side 201 of the attachment bar can then be placed over the sealing layer 300 so that an edge of the first flat side 201 can be in contact with one edge of the sealing layer 300, which is in contact with the edge 402 of the protective barrier 100. In a preferred embodiment, holes 203 in the first flat side 201 of the attachment bar 200 can be aligned with similarly spaced holes 303 (seen in FIG. 3) in the sealing layer 300. An attachment device 401 such as a screw, nail or lag bolt can be placed through these holes, 203 and 303, and through the protective barrier 100 and securely connected into the attachment surface 400. The attachment device 401 can comprise a head 410, which can be larger than the hole 203 in the first flat side 201 of the attachment bar 200. This head 410 can be used to securely hold the attachment bar 200 against the sealing layer 300, thus pressing the sealing layer 300 and the edge 402 of the protective barrier 100 against the attachment surface 400. By securely connecting the attachment bar 200 to the attachment surface 400 in this way, the entire length of the edge 402 of the protective barrier 100 can be securely connected to the to the attachment surface 400.

The attachment surface 400 will typically be a wall, but can also be a floor, ceiling or any other surface to which the attachment of a protective barrier is required. The sealing layer 300, when pressed upon by the attachment bar 200, can bend to conform to cracks, crevices, and other similar irregularities commonly found on the attachment surfaces 400. In this way, a tight seal can be formed along the edge 402 of the protective barrier 100 and dust, debris and other airborne contaminants can be prevented from passing by this edge 402.

FIG. 5 is a perspective top and side view of a protective barrier 100 attached to an attachment surface 400 by an attachment bar 200, a sealing layer 300 and attachment devices 410 according to an embodiment.

In an embodiment, each attachment bar 200 can be six feet in length and the holes 203 along its length can be spaced approximately two feet apart. Multiple attachment bars 200 can be placed end to end so that an entire length of the protective barrier's 100 edge 402 can be covered.

In an embodiment, a narrow strip of protective barrier 100 can be securely connected to an attachment surface 400. This narrow strip 100, which can be of a sufficient width that it allows for the attachment of a larger section of protective barrier (not pictured), but is not so wide that it becomes unwieldy. A width of one to four feet is often sufficient.

The use of this narrow strip of protective barrier 100 can allow for the easy connection of a protective barrier to an attachment surface. This relative ease of connection is due to two main factors. First, unlike the attachment of the narrow strip 100 to an attachment surface, an installer could only work on one side of the protective barrier if the full, uninterrupted protective barrier were attached directly to the attachment surface 400. Second, when connecting the narrow strip 100 to the attachment surface 400, the installer is not required to fight the forces exerted by large areas of protective barrier 100, which can be significant, particularly if the installer is standing on a ladder. The narrow strip of protective barrier 100 can be connected to the main body of protective barrier 100 by sewing the two parts together, or by taping, stapling, tacking, or melting or any other method for connecting two piece of material together to form a sealed seam capable of preventing moisture, dust, debris or other airborne contaminants through it.

Although the present device has been described in terms of exemplary embodiments, it is not limited thereto. Rather, the appended claims should be construed broadly, to include other variants and embodiments of the present device, which may be made by those skilled in the art without departing from the scope and range of equivalents of the device. 

What is claimed is:
 1. An apparatus for connecting a protective barrier to an attachment surface, comprising: a protective barrier having at least one edge; an attachment bar; a sealing layer; and an attachment device.
 2. The protective barrier as recited in claim 1, wherein the protective barrier is polyethylene.
 3. The protective barrier as recited in claim 1, wherein the protective barrier is nylon.
 4. The protective barrier as recited in claim 1, wherein the attachment bar comprises a first flat side connected along its length to a second flat side at a ninety-degree angle.
 5. The protective barrier as recited in claim 4, wherein holes are located throughout the length of the first flat side.
 6. The protective barrier as recited in claim 1, wherein the sealing layer is a compressible foam.
 7. The protective barrier as recited in claim 1, wherein the attachment device is a screw.
 8. An apparatus for connecting a protective barrier to an attachment surface, comprising: a protective barrier having at least one edge; a narrow strip of protective barrier having at least one edge; an attachment bar; a sealing layer; and an attachment device.
 9. The protective barrier as recited in claim 8, wherein the protective barrier and the narrow strip of protective barrier are each comprised of polyethylene.
 10. The protective barrier as recited in claim 8, wherein the protective barrier and the narrow strip of protective barrier are each comprised of nylon.
 11. The protective barrier as recited in claim 8, wherein the attachment bar comprises a first flat side connected along its length to a second flat side at a ninety-degree angle.
 12. The protective barrier as recited in claim 11, wherein holes are located throughout the length of the first flat side.
 13. The protective barrier as recited in claim 8, wherein the sealing layer is a compressible foam.
 14. A method for connecting a protective barrier to an attachment surface, the method comprising: providing a protective barrier having at least one edge, an attachment bar comprising at least one hole, a sealing layer comprising at least one hole, and an attachment device; providing an attachment surface; and placing the edge of the protective barrier against an attachment surface; placing the sealing layer in connection with the edge of the protective barrier; placing the attachment bar in connection with the sealing layer wherein at least one hole comprising the attachment bar is aligned with at least one hole comprising the sealing layer; and placing an attachment device through both holes and the protective barrier and securely connecting the attachment device to the attachment surface.
 15. The method as recited in claim 14, wherein the protective barrier is comprised of polyethylene.
 16. The method as recited in claim 14, wherein the protective barrier is comprised of nylon.
 17. The method as recited in claim 14, wherein the attachment bar comprises a first flat side connected along its length to a second flat side at a ninety-degree angle and holes are located throughout the length of the first flat side.
 18. The method as recited in claim 14, wherein the sealing layer is a compressible foam
 19. The method as recited in claim 14, wherein the attachment device is a screw.
 20. The method as recited in claim 14, wherein the attachment device is a nail. 